


Trousers

by cottonwoolfairy



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Rose & Doctor Friendship, Season/Series 02, what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-12-06 12:40:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/735792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cottonwoolfairy/pseuds/cottonwoolfairy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The first time Reinette ever wore trousers the Doctor had stared." A short 'what if' fic - what if Reinette had managed to make it to the Tardis?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trousers

The first time Reinette ever wore trousers the Doctor had stared.

He had been explaining something complicated about time circuits to Rose and Mickey when she'd skipped into the Tardis control room to show off her newest acquisitions. Reinette had stood and twirled in front of them, so proud of her latest foray into the future. One more baby-step away from the restraints of the French Court.  
As trousers went they had been very reserved - quilted pyjamas Rose had persuaded her to buy from a 19th century Chinese market. She had looked lovely in them though, and Rose, grinning in approval herself, had noticed him staring then.

She'd been confused at first of course. Confused about the lack of servants, and in fact the lack of people generally, with just the four of them rattling around inside the Tardis. Her hairstyles had abruptly got quite a lot simpler, and a few weeks in she'd let Rose loose with a crimping iron. That afternoon they had matched, standing up there on the execution podium on Varlos Four. Mickey had charged up in a hover-car to save them and gotten all confused.

The pannier had disappeared fairly quickly too, and every time they ran for their lives there seemed to be one less petticoat to trip over. One day Reinette had arrived at the central column sans corset - her figure slightly more curvaceous than usual. The Doctor had stared then too. Stared, blinked and turned away, commenting "Much more practical. Now we can get into even tighter situations".

They had indeed, and the next week had found them all squashed together in a closet, waiting for the ominous sounds of marching to abate. Reinette's stamina had certainly improved without her whalebone, but Rose had heard her, pressed against the Doctor in the darkness, and her breathing hadn't seemed to get any less shallow.

Jackie hadn’t liked her at all. After Christmas she’d declared that Reinette had “Too many airs and graces for me!” but if she did then Rose didn’t notice them anymore. They’d abandoned the boys and gone shopping in Oxford Street – Reinette attracting attention from passers by in her lacy shepherdess dress. Rose had learnt some French and attempted to explain the physics of Christmas lights and had watched her marvel at the double-deckers in the rain.

On Boxing Day the four of them had saved the world from an alien invasion via Brandy Butter and so had been forced to eat their Mince Pies that evening with cream instead. They had curled up on the Tyler sofa to watch The Great Escape – Rose’s feet on Mickey’s lap and Reinette’s head on The Doctor’s shoulder. All the way through he had made disparaging comments about ‘historical accuracy’ and stroked her hair.

The day it finally happened Rose had known even before the Doctor had entered the Tardis kitchen.  
Reinette had sat down at the table, hair still damp and wearing the dressing gown Rose had lent her. She’d greeted her with a subdued “Bonjour,” buttered her croissant and tried to suppress her slightly embarrassed smile and Rose had known then.  
When the Doctor had arrived exactly five minutes later, also freshly showered and with a smile to match, Rose had handed him his tea, grinning unreservedly.

She’d taken Mickey on a long ramble across the Yorkshire dales that day.


End file.
